Five practical tips to reasonable adjustments in employment for people with disabilities

It is good practice for employers to have access audits carried out to ensure their premises are accessible and to identify any improvements that can be made to the built environment. Some of the common shortfalls in buildings include poor signage; poorly designed accessible WCs, badly designed approaches to buildings, inadequate communication facilities (induction loops) and poor day to day management of buildings

Ensure all employment policies are reviewed and consider how to make reasonable adjustments. Reasonable adjustments should be embedded into all policies and procedures. The Employers Forum on Disability in the UK highlights that policies and procedures that require particular attention include: recruitment, flexible working hours, procurement; emergency evacuation, information provision, employee training and development to name but a few.

Ensure effective consultation takes place with staff members with disabilities. Remember people with disabilities will have a better idea of how a possible adjustment can help them overcome a barrier in the workplace. Serious consideration should be given if the suggestion is reasonable and effective.

Provide Disability & Equality training to all staff. A practical disability equality component (in addition to the policies) should be included in all induction training and rolled out to staff regularly. Training should be developed in line with the NDA Guidelines for Purchasers of Disability Equality Training. Specialist training should also be provided to line managers with responsibility for managing staff members with disabilities.

Ensure you monitor and review the effectiveness of all reasonable adjustments made for staff and ensure the results of the review are acted upon.

If you would like further information or assistance in any area of employment of people with disabilities please contact us on 014151285 or [email protected] and we will be delighted to help.